Discover invaluable insights into trends and strategies for network operator revenue in our latest report, Operator Revenue Strategies. With data split across 60 countries, this extensive forecast analyses the dynamic and competitive network operator market and the current market challenges posed by slowing revenue, high market saturation in the consumer market, rising network ownership costs, and challenges in 5G monetisation. The report is a critical tool for understanding the industry environment; helping network operators, technical solutions providers for those operators, and regulatory bodies and policy makers to shape their future strategy.
The suite includes both a data deliverable, sizing the market and providing key forecast data for over 60 countries and several different segments, as well as a strategy and trends document which gives a complete assessment of the key trends, challenges and key recommendations for stakeholders. Collectively, they provide a critical tool for understanding this rapidly emerging market; allowing network operators and technology vendors to shape their future strategy.
All report content is delivered in the English language.
KEY FEATURES
Key Takeaways & Strategic Recommendations: Key summarised findings from in-depth analysis into the network operators’ market, accompanied by key strategic recommendations for operators to navigate the market at the present time and in the near future.
Future Market Outlooks: Includes insights into the future market prospects, including the growth in mobile subscriptions and revenue, with splits for eight key world regions, by cellular technology, and by consumer and enterprise sectors. There are also insights into areas of network operator revenue including:
AI Deployment
Mobile Messaging
Mobile Roaming
Emerging Opportunities for Operators: The study assesses three key technical areas of network service provision which operators must be looking to as part of their revenue strategies going into the near future. These include:
Managed & Consulting Services
Network APIs
Travel eSIM Solutions
Market Forecasts & Key Takeaways: A selection of key forecasted statistics from the report’s accompanying dataset, broken down by 8 key regions, with some accompanying analysis of key takeaways, as well as how network operators should act upon them.
Please note: the online download version of this report is for a global site license.
- 1. Key Takeaways & Strategic Recommendations
- 1.1 Key Takeaways and Strategic Recommendations
- 1.1.1 Key Takeaways
- i. Global Operator Revenue Continues to Increase Whilst the Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) Continues to Stagnate
- ii. Uptake of AI in Network Orchestrations to Maximise Revenue Potential, Alongside Reducing Costs and Improving Operational Efficiency
- iii. Network Operators Look for More Diverse Revenue Streams and Upselling Opportunities Above Conventional Telephony
- 1.1.2 Strategic Recommendations
- i. Operators Must Adopt a More Granular Approach to Analytics to Drive Business Decisions
- ii. Operators Must Agree Partnerships for Technology Expertise
- iii. Despite an Anticipated Launch in 2030, 6G Must be Prepared for Now
- 2. Future Market Outlooks
- 2.1 Future Market Outlooks
- Figure 2.1: Total Mobile Subscriptions, Split by 8 Key Regions, 2024-2029
- Figure 2.2: Total Mobile Subscriptions, 2025, Split by Cellular Technology: 9.7 billion
- 2.2 The Future of Network Monetisation
- Figure 2.3: Consumer Operator-billed Monthly ARPU ($), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2021-2029
- 2.3 Monetising Enterprise Services
- Figure 2.4: Global Operator Revenue ($m), Split by Consumer & Enterprise, 2025-2029
- Figure 2.5: MVNO Revenue as a Proportion of Total Network Operator Revenue (%), 2020-2029, Split by 8 Key Regions
- 2.4 AI Deployment
- 2.5 Mobile Messaging
- Figure 2.6: Total Mobile Messaging Traffic (m), 2025, Split by Service: 189 trillion
- Figure 2.7: Total Mobile Messaging Traffic in 2025 (m), Split by 8 Key Regions: 189 trillion
- 2.6 SMS
- Figure 2.8: Total SMS Traffic (m), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2024-2029
- 2.6.1 The Cost of SMS
- Figure 2.9: Average Revenue per A2P SMS ($), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2021-2029
- 2.6.2 Conversational Commerce
- 2.6.3 SMS Fraud
- Figure 2.10: Infographic with SMS Fraud Types
- i. AIT Fraud
- Figure 2.11: AIT Fraud Infographic
- ii. Tighter Global Restrictions
- 2.6.4 Two-way SMS for Businesses
- Figure 2.12: One-way vs Two-way Business SMS Infographic
- 2.7 Mobile Roaming
- Figure 2.13: Mobile Roaming Structure
- Figure 2.14: Total Wholesale Roaming Revenue ($m), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2024-2029
- 3. Emerging Opportunities for Operators
- 3.1 Emerging Opportunities for Operators
- 3.1.1 Managed & Consulting Services
- i. Managed Network Services
- ii. Network Consulting Services
- 3.1.2 Network APIs
- Figure 3.1: Enterprise Adoption of APIs Without Standardised APIs
- Figure 3.2: Revenue Flow Without Telco APIs vs With
- 3.1.3 Travel eSIM Solutions
- Figure 3.3: Revenue From Travel SIMs & eSIMs ($m), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2024-2028
- Travel SIMs
- Figure 3.4: Travel SIM Packages Acquired Globally by Users (m) 2024-2028
- Figure 3.5: Proportion of Consumer Connected Devices Leveraging eSIMs for Connectivity in 2024 (%), Split by 8 Key Regions
- 4. Market Forecasts & Key Takeaways
- 4.1 Introduction to Operator Revenue Forecasts
- 4.1.1 Forecast Methodology
- Figure 4.1: Operator Revenue Strategies Forecast Methodology
- 4.1.2 Global Network Operator ARPU
- Figure and Table 4.2: Global Network Operator ARPU ($), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2025-2029
- 4.1.3 Global Network Operator-billed Revenue
- Figure and Table 4.3: Global Network Operator-billed Revenue ($m), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2025-2029
- 4.1.4 Total Network Operator Consumer Revenue
- Figure and Table 4.4: Total Network Operator Consumer Revenue ($m), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2025-2029
- 4.1.5 Total Network Operator Enterprise Revenue
- Figure and Table 4.5: Total Network Operator Enterprise Revenue ($m), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2025-2029
- 4.1.6 Total 4G Network Operator-billed Revenue
- Figure and Table 4.6: Total Operator-billed Revenue ($m), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2025-2029
- 4.1.7 Total Consumer 4G Network Operator Revenue
- Figure and Table 4.7: Total Consumer 4G Network Operator Revenue ($m), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2025-2029
- 4.1.8 Total Enterprise 4G Network Operator Revenue
- Figure and Table 4.8: Total Enterprise 4G Network Operator Revenue ($m), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2025-2029
- 4.1.9 Total 5G Network Operator-billed Revenue
- Figure and Table 4.9: Total 5G Network Operator Revenue ($m), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2025-2029
- 4.1.10 Total Consumer 5G Network Operator Revenue
- Figure and Table 4.10: Total 5G Consumer Network Operator Revenue ($m), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2025-2029
- 4.1.11 Total Enterprise 5G Network Operator Revenue
- Figure and Table 4.11: Total 5G Enterprise Network Operator Revenue ($m), Split by 8 Key Regions, 2025-2029
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